Ok. So, as many of you know, it has been a hard two weeks for me. Losing Chica was devastating, to say the least, for all of us. Even our cat Taz, who wasn't necessarily Chica's PAL, was sad and very concerned about her absence. The saying goes that "Time heals all wounds." I would say NOT. Time is like the cotton ball or the ear plugs you put in the hole in your heart with each day that passes, in a desperate attempt to return to the "normal" of the world that never stopped in the first place to grieve with you. Time just forces you to displace all those emotions that make you feel like "Really? Seriously? Are they really gone?" . The memories bless and sting at the same time. So.. that being said... here's what really happened.After we put Chica down, as expected, Rick and I were, shall I say, "overwhelmed" with grief. Everything about that sweet dog, and the quick and sudden loss of her, rattled us. Like I said above, Syd and Taz, were very confused and sad, not understanding, much like us, how she was "just here", then suddenly gone. The cat sat vigil near the garage door mewing when we would open the door, as if asking "Where is she?... She hasn't come in yet." and Syd would look for Chica in the garage, out in the yard, and would come into the house defeated that she hadn't found her sister.
I'm usually not the one to be spontaneous about animals. We've found many, a many, and those have "moved" on to either the homes they ran from or their next forever home, but as far as "keepers" go, I understand that there has to be that "fit", hence why I brought a dog home from Mexico with me... It was a fit.
After almost two weeks of grief and sadness, and way too many emotions, I woke up on Saturday mustering everything within me to be THANKFUL... because I have so much to be THANKFUL for... such as the life of a wonderful Mexican Chica, that I got to enjoy, albeit for all too short a time, I still was able to fully enjoy and revel in her light while she was here. AND... my new job... If I hadn't been spoiled by my current job situation and GREAT bosses... I would probably be absolutely thrilled with the new job I'm going to start next week. So, I had to do a bit of an attitude adjustment.
HONESTLY..... seriously, when I sat down at my PC last Saturday morning my only intention was to bid on a used leather Coach purse (RETAIL THERAPY.. SERIOUSLY..) but somehow my fingers typed "petfinder.com"..... Seconds later there was this little face, third down from the top... No name, just "PUPPY". I called and they said she was still there. I took 5 minutes to give Rick the link and I said I was going to see her. I arrived at the shelter, was pointed through the door to the kennels. I quickly, and I mean quickly walked past each stall in search of my find... at the very end, in a chain link end cap, were three puppies. I knelt down and two rushed the fence, very exuberant, and just behind them the third puppy tentatively approached me between the two. Literally, 2 seconds passed and I was quickly back to the front desk to tell them I needed to speak with an Adoption Counselor. I was seriously about two strides before a woman and her daughter who had been making a list of the dogs they wanted to spend time with, when I realized what was about to happen. I was given an application and when I sat down to fill it out I heard the desk person say, "Sorry, that lady just there adopted her." Timing IS everything. Application: CHECK. They said they had a mandatory face-to-face when there is another dog... CHECK. Syd and "puppy" loved each other instantly. Off we went, with a bunch of other potential owners in our wake.... Timing is everything.
So, it has been a couple of days of pure, silly joy (Taz wouldn't agree, but as I typed, she and Pepper were chasing each other upstairs... all in fun and figuring it out), Here's the video from today....the sun is shining, and there is hope for me again....
